Published: February
12, 2015Burnham-On-Sea
fire crews set to join new 24-hour nationwide strike

Burnham-On-Sea's
fire crews will likely be back on strike over the next few weeks
when firefighters across England hold a further 24-hour strike.

The
Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said this week that the strike, part
of a long-running dispute about changes to firefighters' pensions,
would take place "in the coming weeks".

It
has accused ministers of "misleading" Parliament over
what will happen to its members who fail fitness tests.

The
FBU believes they could be sacked or made to retire on reduced
pensions if they fail the tests under the plans.

A
government spokesman said firefighters had "one of the most
generous pension schemes in the public sector" and the strike
would "damage the reputation" of the service.

In December MPs backed government plans to raise the retirement
age of firefighters in England from 55 to 60 years old and to
increase their pension contributions.

However,
the FBU accused the government of "blatantly misleading"
MPs during the vote by saying there was a statutory guarantee
that firefighters who failed fitness tests through no fault of
their own would receive a full and unreduced pension.

It
said it was unfair to expect firefighters aged 60 to have the
same fitness levels as those in their 20s.

The
union's general secretary Matt Wrack said: "Firefighters
are outraged at the behaviour of the Westminster fire minister
Penny Mordaunt and her boss Eric Pickles, who misled Parliament
by falsely claiming that they had introduced a statutory guarantee
that a firefighter failing a fitness test through no fault of
their own would receive a full and unreduced pension.

"After
investigation, it is now clear beyond doubt that no fire service
employer agrees that any such guarantee exists."

The
planned industrial action will be the latest in a series of strikes
held over the dispute about pensions. Burnham fire crews have
joined each strike, but cover has been available from Devon and
Somerset Fire & Rescue.

A
spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government
said the strike was "regrettable" and would "damage
the reputation of the service".

They
said: "Pension regulations were laid recently in Parliament
after extensive consultation and amendment.

"The
government recognises the important role firefighters play in
keeping the public safe and has worked hard to give them one of
the most generous pension schemes in the public sector."

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